LAS VEGAS — Perhaps it was the scorching triple-digit temperature outside of Cox Pavilion that foreshadowed how the Magic would open Las Vegas summer league.
Orlando caught fire from 3-point range Friday against the Cavaliers behind a strong showing from second-year guards Jett Howard (team-high 22 points) and Anthony Black (20) and No. 18 pick Tristan da Silva (13).
Shooting a combined 9 of 17 (53%) from beyond the arc, the young trio totaled 55 points in Orlando’s 106-79 victory over Cleveland.
Coach Lionel Chalmers’ summer-league squad pieced together 36 points in the opening 10 minutes after the Magic opened 5 of 6 from 3. Orlando used a 29-9 run to take control early and increased its lead to as much as 35 in the second half.
“I thought they did a really good job of starting out the right way and sticking to the principles,” Chalmers said after the win. “They used their energy in the right way, and I thought it was good.”
The Magic opened with Black, Howard, da Silva, 2019 No. 6 pick Jarrett Culver and 7-1 center Jay Huff.
Howard in particular looked confident pulling up from distance while relying on his quick trigger and relentlessness as a sharpshooter. He nailed 5 of 10 long-range shots.
“Aggressive,” Chalmers said of Howard’s performance. “We’ve talked about it and we’ve been preaching [it] — just be aggressive.
“He makes good decisions,” the coach added. “He knows how to pass well. He shoots the ball well.”
As Howard converted with success from 3, Black directed traffic and ran the point for a starting group that rarely let go of its grip on the afternoon contest.
Black still had plenty of his own moments, too. He attacked the paint with patience while dishing out 3 assists to help create plays for his teammates. The 6-7 guard added 4 steals on the other end.
“Having the first year under my belt just made it easier to come in and kind of play like more of a commanding role,” he said.
Da Silva was quick to find his spots on the floor, including his first 3-pointer of the day from the top of the key and later from the right corner during the second frame.
The rookie opened 2 of 3 from 3 before finishing with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 23 minutes.
“There’s always room for improvement,” da Silva said. “It was a good starting point. Especially defensively, I feel like I’ve done a couple really good things.
“And then offensively, just keeping the flow going, getting some easy looks,” the rookie added. “Shout-out to the team for finding me and converting when I give them the ball.”
Earlier in the week, Howard mentioned his passing was something overlooked about his game. On Friday, he swung the ball around and matched da Silva’s team-high 4 assists.
Beyond the trio of da Silva, Black and Howard, Huff stood out for the Magic. After spending last season on a two-way contract with the Knicks, Huff opened summer league with 16 points and 6 rebounds.
For the Cavs, second-year forward Emoni Bates had a team-high 20 points while No. 20 pick Jaylon Tyson added 15. Those two and second-year guard Craig Porter Jr. were the double-digit scorers for Cleveland.
Orlando’s summer-league squad had plenty of support from current members of the Magic.
Spotted courtside Friday were Magic guards Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Caleb Houstan and two-way player Trevelin Queen. Recently extended forward Jonathan Isaac was in attendance as well.
“It means a lot,” Howard said of his teammates who were on-site. “They don’t have to come here and support us. They can be on vacation. To us young guys, that means a lot.”
Jason Beede can be reached at [email protected]
Up next
Sunday vs. Pelicans, 7:30 (NBA TV), Cox Pavilion
